EMMA West has been sentenced for her tram race rant, with a judge ordering her to ‘keep the peace’ - particularly on public transport.

The 36-year-old burst into tears as she left court having been told that she would not be sent to prison for a second offence of stabbing her husband.

Instead the mother-of-two, who was accompanied in court by her partner Ricky Metson, was handed a 24 month community sentence including a supervision order and mental health treatment.

Her sentencing ends a near two year legal process during which she had attempted to take her own life three times, her defence counsel said, following unwanted attention from far-right political groups.

No overt members of either the National Front or British National Party were present to see her sentenced at Croydon Crown Court today (Monday).

West, in far better spirits than her two previous appearances, even managed to smile and give her barrister, David Martin-Sperry, the thumbs up.

The former dental receptionist had denied racially aggravated intentional harassment on a tram travelling between Croydon and Wimbledon between September 30 and November 28, 2011.

The rant was caught on camera and watched by 11 million people after the video was posted on YouTube.

Her trial had been adjourned five times, amid debate as to whether West, who has suffered from bipolar depression since she was 18, was mentally fit to stand.

A compromise was reached last month which saw her plead guilty to the lesser offence of racially aggravated harassment.

This charge did not include mention of intent. West’s counsel had maintained since she was arrested that she did not want to plead guilty for fear of being branded a racist.

Speaking at today’s hearing, Julius Capon, prosecuting, said passengers on the tram had been subject to “disgusting racial abuse”.

He added: “A number of witnesses have indicated they were upset by her behaviour. They described themselves as being disgusted, shocked and horrified.”

Mr Capon said the incident had particularly affected passenger Ena May Eubanks, adding: “Since that has happened to her she has felt too afraid to get on a tram in case something like that was to happen to her again.

“She has to use the tram system but, when she does, she has to sit with someone she knows, such is the effect this incident has had on her.”

Judge Warwick McKinnon, the Recorder of Croydon, told West he wished to “bring an end to many months and months of adjournments” which had been “no fault of her own”.

West could have faced a maximum £2,500 fine but, taking into account a medical report which showed she had taken a twice the recommended amount of antidepressant Citalopram before getting on the tram with her young son, Judge McKinnon sentenced her to a binding over order of £100.

He said:“You will keep the peace for a period of 12 months and in particular not engage in any offence of disorderly behaviour on public transport.”

West’s deteriorating mental health during the 20 month legal process led to concerns for her safety and that of her family.

These fears were realised when she stabbed Mr Metson twice in the back when he intervened as she attempted to self-harm at their home in Grenville Road, New Addington, on May 15. When a police officer arrived she kicked him.

The following day West was charged with actual bodily harm and assaulting a police officer and was remanded in custody. It was during a bail hearing for that offence on June 1 that both sides agreed to the compromise.

Judge McKinnon told the court today that a “detailed” pre-sentence report had deemed that the “risk” she posed could be “managed within the community”.

He added: "The very detailed pre-sentence report puts this case in a much wider perspective of a perfectly normal, healthy young woman, holding down a job for ten years before events took a turn for the worse."

West was given a 24 month community order, during which she will be supervised by a probation officer and given further mental health treatment by her psychiatrist.

It emerged today that West had been convicted of being drunk and disorderly before she attacked Mr Metson, but the judge chose to impose no further penalty for breaching her conditional discharge.